BIA/Kelsey: Stations To Get $17 Bil in 2010

Station revenue is on course to hit $17 billion in 2010, according to BIA/Kelsey, a healthy 7.5% upgrade over the $15.8 billion local television tallied in the miserable 2009.

According to its new Investing in Television Market Report, BIA/Kelsey expects television revenues in ten states to increase by around 8% or more, due to hotly contested political races. Those include Arkansas (8.5%), Pennsylvania (8.5%), Texas (8.5%), Ohio (8.5%) and Colorado (8.4%).

"We feel the industry is taking a positive turn and should now focus squarely on improving its revenues by identifying sources of income from multi-casting, online and mobile," said BIA/Kelsey VP Mark R. Fratrik, Ph.D. "Broadcasters should be expanding their businesses into related areas where they'll find their audiences and be able to give advertisers greater reach."

BIA/Kelsey forecasts stations' revenue haul dipping down to $16.8 billion next year, thanks primarily to the absence of midterm elections. The number is expected to grow to just shy of $18 billion in 2012.